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The Old with the New

A young family’s Tudor-style kitchen needed an update that suited the older home and its busy owners. “The challenge with renovating any older home is creating that mesh of the old and the new,” said designer Chantal Devane, who heads Devane Design.

Photo courtesy of Valerie Jardin Photography

Alder wood cabinetry complements the existing oak floors, which were stained dark. “I went with an alder because I wanted a nice, calm grain that wasn’t going to compete with the floors,” Devane explained.

Hand-forged hardware brings in a touch of the industrial.
Photo courtesy of Valerie Jardin Photography

The former design’s massive radiator was replaced with a toe kick heater, giving the kitchen several extra feet of cabinet space.

Photo courtesy of Valerie Jardin Photography

The blue-grey, ceramic tile backsplash provides a cost-effective, low-maintenance alternative to natural stone. “The backsplash is a great way to balance out the really rich tone that we had in the wood cabinetry,” explained Devane.
Photo courtesy of Valerie Jardin Photography

A small door previously separated the kitchen and dining room. By opening the frame into an arch that matched the adjacent room’s, the flow significantly improved.
Photo courtesy of Valerie Jardin Photography

“A big complaint for the owners was that the dogs’ water bowl always gets knocked over,” commented Devane. Now hidden by cabinetry but accessible to the dogs and owners, the spot allows for the dogs to be part of the family without being in the way.